Note 13 — Chapter XIV

[Estate of Buenavista.—“By donation from Captain Don Pedro Gomez Cañete, various farm-sites and cavallerías13 of lands belonged to us in an estate called Buenavista, Pinaot, and Bolo, in the jurisdiction of Bulacan, provinces close to Manila. But as the donor when he died left debts behind, the lands were appraised, with preference of the legacies to the debts of justice;14 and the said property being placed at royal auction, with the offerings of other benefactors, the highest bid was made on the part of our order, in the sum of twelve thousand one hundred pesos. Afterward other lands were added to this estate, by donations and purchases which were made, and questions arose over the boundaries; but, as we have for our defense the just titles, the crown15 has maintained us in the legitimate possession of the lands, which is evident from the records and decisions, which are here set down verbatim, and which declare it.” Here follow the documents which show that Cañete received a grant, April 4, 1629, of two farm-sites and three cavallerías of land in the village of San Miguel, the former part of the grant being opposed by the Indians of Candaba; another was made to Gonzalo Ronquillo Ballesteros, September 26, 1601, of “two farms for horned cattle, and four cavallerías of land, in the district of Alatib, toward Candaba, close to Canagoan;” and the boundaries were settled by acts of the Audiencia, March 2 and May 14, 1715. “These said lands, those which were likewise obtained by the accountant Pedro de Almansa, and others which belonged to the monastery of Santa Clara, were sold to the aforesaid Don Pedro Gomez Cañete, and are among those which were purchased, as was related in the beginning [of this book]; and afterward were added to it other lots of land, all which compose the estate of Buenavista, which belongs to our order in these islands.” In 1715 the hospital brethren complained that the Augustinians had intruded upon their lands, and were even building a house thereon, paying no heed to the repeated remonstrances of the superior of St. John; but the acts above cited confirmed the order in its possession of the lands, and ordered the Augustinians to cease work on their house and give account of their procedure. “In this estate there are arable lands, pastures for the many cattle with which it is stocked, fruit-trees, and woodlands where the trees are cut for lumber. It was always maintained with one religious, who, as administrator, had charge of its produce; but when an opportunity to rent it occurred, it was considered best, and even more profitable, to do so. For it we receive five hundred pesos, and three hundred cabans of rice, annually for the period of five years, which is the present agreement, and it is well guaranteed.”]